02

Nov

What a waste!. . .$1million budget for relegation material

Fungai Muderere
UTTER rubbish from a US$1 million budget!
Relegated Bulawayo City football who kissed goodbye to the local elite football league last Thursday after a three-year dance, managed to post a total of 29 wins from 95 games which translates to a 31% success rate.
The club, which reportedly operated on a $1 million annual budget, went down the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League drain, with three games to play before the end of the season.

In their debut season in PSL (2016), the duo of Philani “Beefy” Ncube and Farai Mujokoro lasted 17 matches and were suspended from football after they were linked to the Beitbridge Border Strikers match fixing scandal.

Try Ncube was to take charge for the rest of the season as City finished on number eight, after collecting 41 points from 30 games (34% percent success rate).

With the Caf A coaching licence dilemma, Ncube could not take charge of the team in the 2017 season as he played a behind the scenes role while Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu took over and was to be in charge for the whole season and finished 14th on the log, surviving relegation on the last day with the assistance of Tavaka Gumbo.

Under the guidance of Mpofu, from 34 stats City posted 11 wins , six draws and 17 losses to amass a total of 39 points from a possible 102 (38 percent success rate).

Mpofu was fired at the start of the 2018 season as City appointed Darlington Dodo who lasted only eight matches.
Dodo won one match, drew one and lost six matches in the eight matches in charge.

On the first day of the race, on 3 October, Chitendere says she almost grew cold feet and contemplated withdrawing.

“I had never cycled such a long distance so naturally I was scared and almost withdrew before we took to the road on the first day. On the third day it was so windy, making the cycling conditions very difficult but I’m proud of myself that I soldiered on.

“It was a great feeling seeing the Zvishavane community cheering me on at the end of the race and it was worth the pain and sweat,” she recalls.

For her effort she walked away with a trophy, $600 cash and a food hamper.

The race, now in its third year, was bankrolled by TN Beverages, Metbank, Agribank, Agriseeds and Pote Holdings among other sponsors.

Bulawayo’s Siyephambili Cycling Club made a clean sweep at the race with Andrew Chikwaka coming out tops while Advocate Phiri came second and Nkulumo Dube claiming third position.